


Wild Horses

by Paper_Crane_Song



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s03e06 The Pop Art Affair, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 02:53:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8827633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paper_Crane_Song/pseuds/Paper_Crane_Song
Summary: A missing scene for The Pop Art Affair. Takes place immediately after Napoleon rescues Illya at the art gallery.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I loved how Napoleon related to Illya in this episode; he pushes Illya towards safety at the golf course, he aborts his flirting with the secretary as soon as he thinks Illya is in trouble, and then we see his concern as he searches for his missing partner. 
> 
> So I've tried to capture a little of that in this missing scene. Feedback is always much appreciated :)

His cry is a mixture of distress and relief, and the sound goes straight to Napoleon's throat as he swipes the foam from his partner's face. To keep his composure he falls back on his ever-present wit, making quip after quip as he starts to untie the ropes. Illya seems partially stunned, his chest heaving as he gulps in air, and the first thing he does after Napoleon releases his arms is to fold them around himself and lean forward.

“Try not to breathe so fast,” Napoleon tells him as he kneels down to untie the ropes around Illya's legs. Their foreheads are nearly touching, and he can see the beginnings of bruises across his partner's face, the skin shining and red; fist marks, by the looks of it.

Ropes untied, he stands, gently pushing Illya upright again out of the foam.

“I need a minute,” Illya says.

“All right.” Napoleon rests one hand protectively on the back of the chair and looks about him, surveying the mess of the gallery. Most of the artwork is ruined now. _Good_ , he thinks spitefully, and he is surprised by his own vehemence. Then again, Olé and his gang had just come perilously close to killing his partner. If he'd been just a few seconds late in dropping Sylvia home -

He mentally pulls himself away from that line of thought. He'd go insane otherwise.

He looks down at the hunched, soaked figure of his partner. Illya is shivering in the cold air and suddenly Napoleon can't bear it any longer.

“Come on, I have a coat in my car you can change in to." He hauls him to his feet.  Illya strikes out on his own, shuffling and unsteady, and Napoleon has to stop himself from reaching out to him.

At the entrance, Illya glances back at the foam-flooded gallery and raises his eyebrows at the destruction they're leaving behind. Then they head out together into the oncoming dawn.

 

_Finis_


End file.
